Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-29
THE CARS BEAR HUNT.
A Thrilling Incident In the Life of Alex
ander I.

ander L..
1t was clear, bright frosty morning in
the forests of northern Russia. The hard
ened snow was crisp as toast, the frozen
trees glittered like silver in the cloudless
sunshine, and the woods were all alive
with the shrill blasts of huntingdon and
the shouts of men. telling that Gar Alex
ander l. and his courtiers were out for
bear hunt No one could have wished for
finer day for the sport, and every face in
the party was as bright as the blue sky
overhead-except one. That was the face
of the Emperor himself.
A b, ar hunt in his own native forests
was Alexanders favorite amusement, and
no one could imagine what it was that
made him look so gloomy on this beautiful
morning, with such capital prospect for
good sport.
The time had been when his chosen cont
rade-Count Nikolai Soboleff, the best
sportsman in st. Petersburg, next to the
Gar himself-had been beside him. as
matter of course, on all excursions of this
kind. But the two friends had grown cold
10 each other, and causes of quarrel had
arisen and multiplied until at length Alex
ander, having or rather thinking he had
(for the fault had never been clearly
proved, grave cause of oifense against his
a lonely fortress in the most out-of- the-way
part OF eastern Russia.
But now the merry music of the horns
and the familiar cries of the hunters, the
bracing keenness of the country air, the
sight of the woods that he knew and loved
SO well, brought back the old times as
freshly as ever. He remembered how often
he and Sobolett had marched side by side
over the snow for miles, following the
sharp footprints of an elk or the huge
round paw marks of black bear, and the
thought of his old comrade pining in that
dismal place rose up hauntingly i'll his
mind.
Hank what was that? All the party
halted and held their breath to listen Yes,
there could be no mistake about it, Far in
the distance was heard the shrill, long
drawn bugle call which told that the game
was found.
The first note of that well known call
was quite enough to Dive every other
thought out of the mind of such born
sportsman as the Emperor Alexander. The
next moment he was hurrying over the
hard, crisp snow in the direction of the
sound. rifle in hand.
As the Car ran, his bright blue eye kept
CHANGING ceaselessly to the right and left in
search Of the expected bear. So eager was
he to catch sight of it that he never noticed
how persisteBtly he himself was being fol-
lowed by tall man with his face half hid
den in "a huge fur cap, who seemed deter
mined to stick to him wherever he went.
In the heat of the chase the hunters
were quickly scattered, and the Gar was
soon LETT alone. But still he was kept in
sight by the mysterious man in the fur
cap, who seemed, indeed, to be drawing
closer and closer to him, though without
coming So near as to attract attention.
More curious still, although no bear had
appeared as yet, he was already loosening
his hunting-knife in its sheath, IS if expect
ing 10 have to use it very shortly.
Suddenly there was crash in the thcket
as a huge black mass came bursting
through the bushes, and Alexander sud
denly found himself face to face with the
largest bear he had ever seen in his life
Such a meeting in such place would have
startled most men, for the black bear of
northern Russia, though less dangerous
than the terrible American grizzly, is q
very ugly customer" at close quarters.
But such perils were nothing new to the
hunter Emperor, who instantly brought
his gun 10 his shoulder and fired.
But unlucky Alexander was SO eager to
make sure of the bear before any of the
other men could come up that he did not
aim as carefully as usual. and the bullet,
glancing along the monsters shoulder,
hurt him Just enough to make him douhly
furious. On he came with a fierce rush,
and, rearing up on his hind legs, showing
all his cruel white fangs in hideous grin.
At the same moment the Cars foot slip
ped, and down he came on his face at the
very feet OF his savage enemy.
Another instant and all would have been
over, but just then the tall stranger sprang
forward, and, darling in under the huge
extended forepaw, buried his long knife to
the very hilt in the great black body. For
one moment man and beast were rolling
together in a confused mass amidst spray
of flying snow, and then the man rose
painting to his feet, and the monster, with
one conyulslye struggle, lay dead before
him.
Whoever you are" cried Alexander,
stepping toward him, you have saved my
life. Ask what you will, and you shall
have H."
" Not till you know who am and with
what purpose / came hither," answered
the stranger in low stern voice, throwing
back his thick cape as he spoke. " Look
well at my face, and see if you remember
il"
Had not banished Nikolai soboloff."
said The Gar. looking at him in astonish-
uleHt, i slOutu say you were ne.
: am his brother Michael. said the
other, " and came here to day TO kill you
for the wrong you have done him"
There was a moments silence while the
two men looked tixedly at each other
MY brother was banished for fault
that he bud not committed" resumed So
boleff at length. TO him such punish
ment is worse than death. and | vowed to
avenge him. l mixed with your men to-
day in this disguise, meaning TO get near
you in the course of the hunt and kill you
with my own hand"
And why have you saved my life, |
then ?" asked the Emperor, eyeing him
keenly.